Anything but
by Heero91
Summary: I felt like doing something light and christmassy. So this is a twoshot celebrating the season. Hinata returns to meet old friends and classmates far different than she left them. SasuHina
1. 1 of 2

Title: Anything but

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

* * *

I counted at least seven of the fairy lights above us broken before Ino abandoned her attempts at lighting the cigarette she so desperately craved flinging the useless lighter more at a trash can than into it. Her mood remained foul as we stepped back into the side street and the whirling winter snows.

"Hang on." I was quickly and efficiently jerked by the rabid blonde towards the back exit of some building and the lone figure hunched over outside it ghosted by wisps of grey smoke. I guessed it was a restaurant pretty quickly given the dark man's attire, beneath his hooded sweater a smeared and stained apron peaked out.

"Got a light handsome?" He was handsome but his expression was anything but as he turned on us brow tight and lips curled in a cruel snare. The severity lessened as he recognised my outgoing companion and all but deflated as he shuffled about in his pocket pulling free a battered old zippo.

"Thought you had tonight off Uchiha." Spoke the blonde carefully dipping into the more sheltered area. Suddenly I recognised the tall dark man before me, Sasuke Uchiha the angry little boy who was never without another angry little blonde, though whether they were comrades or enemies changed quicker than the wind most days.

"Supposed to but you know old Kakashi." Answered Sasuke his eyes shifting to me properly for the first time since we'd interrupted his cigarette break, Ino followed the trail pretty well and linked arms with me grinning good naturedly.

"You remember Hinata right, she used to go to school with us." Introduced the Blonde bright eyed, the man almost looked apologetic as he shrugged and admitted that he didn't recall. The Yamanaka gave a tut and scolded him to little apparent effect.

"W-well then, I'm Hinata Hyuuga. Nice to meet you." I stepped in stuttering a little as I offered my old classmate my gloved hand feeling a little out of water, was a handshake the appropriate gesture to make, I wasn't going to curtsy or bow at any rate so a handshake was the best he'd get.

"Sasuke Uchiha." He grunted taking the offered limb in a firm grip. Through the material of my glove I could feel the heat of his bare skin, and for a moment shivered for entirely different reasons as his eyes found my own. The contact broke a moment later as the back door cracked open and an irate brunette woman began an angry tirade that loosely translated either demanded Sasuke back to work or was a declaration of war. Could have went either way really.

* * *

The second time we met he parked himself down in the chair across from me in a crowded coffee shop, though I didn't actually see him until he spoke up.

"I never really bought the romance, he's just the authors avatar and she lost all semblance of personality after puberty." I glanced up at him and away from my book not really processing his words at first, I mean how often does someone open a conversation by criticising your reading material.

"Sasuke, you've read this?" From what I'd recalled of the boy he and Naruto mostly read comic books, not classic French literature. Still reading the book seemed much more probable than him having seen the play.

"A few years ago, sorry the other seats were taken." He answered with an apology drawing my attention to the fact that while I'd been absorbed in mister Valjeans woes the coffee shop had filled up rather dramatically. I also noticed he was again dressed in his work attire though a thick leather jacket had joined the mix.

"Working?" I asked hoping for an easy neutral subject. I'd never spoken much with the man when we'd been in school and I was a little hesitant to now, he'd had something of a rough streak.

"Start in about an hour." He answered blowing tentatively on his coffee before sipping it his face scrunching up in either repulsion at the bitter taste or the scalding heat. It was a pleasantly human thing for him to do.

"Maybe I'll come in later, how's the food?" I tested the water wondering if I should try for a discount on the grounds that…well I liked getting discounts.

"Pretty awful, but if you do go in I'd avoid the soups, desserts or anything with the word spicy involved. And avoid the brunette waitress at all costs." Few could give a restaurant review in such a way that it sounded like advice for entering a warzone. I gave a laugh and it earned a miniscule smile from the man.

"Why should I avoid the waitress?" I asked draining the last of my now nearly frozen beverage. Something in the man's eyes twinkled.

"Tenten has a…bizarre temper. She gets offended by things mostly at random and I'm pretty certain for shits and giggles. She spent twenty minutes shouting at guy just last week for wearing white jeans." He took another sip of his drink grimacing slightly less before he continued.

"Though to be fair, he did look ridiculous." He had more stories between the psychotic waitress Tenten, their eccentric boss Kakashi and even a few of his own moments of madness to keep me giggling. As I hit my third cup of ginger tea and the Uchiha rose to make his way to work I found my book lying abandoned and that I was already missing the false exasperated tone Sasuke had told his stories in.

I found myself sitting in the same coffee shop a few days later pretending to read as I waited to see if he made a habit of stopping for coffee.

* * *

That's how I found myself here really, pausing in the chilling evening weather on my way home from my sisters on Christmas eve.

"Need a ride?" I shivered as the Uchiha squeezed into my tiny car his knee's bent awkwardly. He did look somewhat adorable though pouting with his hair sprinkled white from the falling snow outside. I guessed the thought must have shown on my face as he threw a mock glare my way.

"So where are you heading stranger?" I asked pulling carefully back onto the road, the sun was almost completely set now and I didn't feel like spending Christmas day in the emergency room.

"Just to the end of the road to pick up Naru." He answered pointing out the brightly light establishment. As I pulled into the parking lot I couldn't help notice several suspicious little clues, such as the ten foot lit up stripper shaking her ta-ta's.

"So you guys are still friends huh?" I asked ignoring the more obvious line of questioning.

"Flatmates, the dobe works here by the way." He answered both my spoken and unspoken question. I supposed my childhood crush working behind the bar of a strip club was marginally better than him being a patron of it.

"I haven't seen Naruto in years, has he changed much?" I asked as we came to a full stop in front of a sign promising a free dance with every three vodka cranberries, vital information to be certain.

"What age were we then ten, so physically yeah. But inside same old Dobe. Come in with me." he half offered half ordered, either way I was happy to spend a little more time with the intriguing man and to meet my old flame.

"How'd he get working here anyway?" I asked as the Uchiha led the way leading us to a table in the far corner thankfully far away from the stage. My cheeks felt like they were a flame as a lively waitress skipped over her southern dawdle as fake as her unnaturally perky breasts…not that I was jealous or anything, or had looked at all, or…

"You know he was raised by his aunt right?" asked the Uchiha before he ordered a beer, despite the sudden temptation I refused the offer of a drink.

"Tsunade right, very nice woman." I answered recalling the maternal if slightly temperamental blonde. The Uchiha snorted.

"From your point of view I suppose, you know what a feminist is right?" Asked the Uchiha and I wondered exactly where this was going. I nodded anyway.

"And you know what a Nazi is right." He continued taking a long swig of his beer as the waitress brought it over flashing a cheery grin.

"You're not going to tell me Naruto became some he-man woman hater because his aunt was an extremist are you?" I asked unbelieving of what the Uchiha was trying to imply, that certainly wasn't the sweet kid I remembered.

"Not exactly. She only got bad after Naru's Uncle…well needless to say it left some issues." I was still wrapping my head around the idea that Naruto had changed so much when another woman approached our table planting both hands on the man's shoulders and flashing me a slightly confused smile before her eyes widened in recognition and I felt my own do the same.

I think my jaw might have come unhinged.

"Hinata…what are you doing here?" asked the blonde sweeping me up in a tight friendly hug, idly I thought I heard Sasuke mutter something along the lines that he should have warned me better. No shit.

"She gave me a ride Dobe." Grunted the dark man standing and draining his drink as the blonde blinked his, um her bright blue eyes and glanced back at me a hopeful grin on her painted lips.

"You're coming to the party?" she asked half pulling me out of the seat with her as she scrambled to her feet.

"Um party?" I asked confused, though not necessarily about the word party itself. Rather my mind was having trouble processing the idea that my childhood crush was now apparently a stripper, wearing high heels and had the largest breasts I'd ever seen…it was sort of a lot to take in you know.

"You didn't tell her bastard." Berated the blonde whacking her roommate playfully. I couldn't figure if it was relieving or more disturbing that the Uzumaki actually still acted very much like himself, um herself.

"It's your party Dobe, not mine." Muttered the Uchiha pocketing his hands as the blonde shot him a glare and a huffed 'fine'.

"Okay Hini, you get to come to my super Christmas party tonight." I noticed there wasn't actually a question in there as Sasuke led the way back out and my old crush bombarded me with random questions. Job? Married? Boyfriend? Girlfriend? Want one? What do you think of Sasuke? Really there just seemed to be no logic to his, um her line of rapid fire questioning.

* * *

The apartment the twosome shared was how you'd expect a drunken child to decorate a dive motel room. The walls were a sickly off-white put hardly showed through beneath all the decorations- mostly bright orange and blue nature. An entire wall was taken up with pictures of the odd couple and their friends. A large blown up one featured a little less than a dozen people at the beach and from the looks of it Naruto may have been trying to strangle the Uchiha rather ironically with a life preserver. I didn't miss the beat-up guitar lying in the corner either and wondered whom played it.

"Nice place." I offered politely, the blonde accepted the praise happily while her roommate assured me there was no need to lie. I couldn't help a small giggle as they bickered some more the Uchiha drawing three bottles of some foreign beer from the battered fridge.

"So um Naruto, who's coming tonight?" I asked trying to make small talk though quickly becoming embarrassed as the blonde corrected me on her name in a friendly tone.

"The guys." She answered noncommittally as her companion rolled his eyes.

"She broke her phone last week, we've no idea who'll actually turn up." Elaborated Sasuke smirking and I saw Naru pull a familiar expression laughing as she scratched the back of her neck. I took a long drink.

"Okay house rules Hini, no smoking in the living room do that crap in the kitchen, if you throw up you clean it up and if you're going to shag someone don't do it in my bed." Rambled the blonde shooting Sasuke a dirty eye at the smoking part before she disappeared to change. I couldn't help notice the kitchen and living rooms weren't in fact separate rooms and raised the question to the Uchiha.

"Placebo effect, the whole place smells like smoke but she only notices it if she sees it happening." He answered shaking his head sadly at the apparent weirdness.

"You doing alright?" he asked more concerned after a second his eyes darting to the door Naruto, Naru had just exited from. I gave a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, it's just a little strange getting used to it. Confusing pronouns and all that." Plus I kept finding myself looking for a bulge and questioning just how close the two friends were. Would it be offensive to ask? Almost certainly.

"You get used to it, as I said barring the tits same old same old really." He shrugged, somehow the stoic Uchiha did seem exactly the type to just shrug and write off his best friend showing up with boobs one day or barely notice.

* * *

The night progressed rather rapidly after the guests started to fill up the tiny apartment. I lost count as the dazzlingly bright dressed Naru forced me into jello shots with her. The last I saw of her she was trying to threaten some hapless brunette into letting her do one off his stomach.

I found the Uchiha drinking in the corner with a leggy brunette and a tall man with orange dyed hair. He'd ditched his sweater and for the first time I noticed his tattoos, one of a cobra wrapping around his right wrist and the other a lion head that just poked out beneath his t-shirt on the right arm.

"Teagan Williams, cuisine transport specialist at Kakashi's Café de Amor." Introduced the brunette flashing me an off-white but pleasant smile and offering a hand. The tall man snorted.

"She's actually Tenten a waitress at cock breath Kakashi's shitty diner. I'm Juugo." The tall man volunteered next earning himself an elbow to the ribs and an unladylike insult from the brunette.

"Um so what're you guys talking about?" I asked unnerved at having so many eyes on me at once, it didn't help that these three all held some of the most intense gazes I'd ever seen.

"Tattoo's. Sassky's thinking of getting another and wanted to see what fire head here can do. I'm his best work." Answered the brunette with a crooked grin turning and pulling up her tank top's back. Over her shoulder blades and down dipping beneath her waist band a naked warrior woman I suspected was supposed to be her slaughtered and chased down monstrous demons. In terms of subtlety and symbolism I easily recognised that Tenten's body art meant she'd beaten up subtlety and symbolism and slept with their mom before calling them gay.

"Wow that's very…impressive." I remarked hoping my hesitance wouldn't be interpreted correctly as she pulled her shirt down and flashed me a happy smile.

"Thanks much better than Sassies little ones." She chastised blowing a raspberry at the Uchiha.

* * *

Several more shots in- one of which may or may not have been off someone's stomach- things began to get very blurry. At some point Sasuke had taken up the guitar and Naru had deemed herself a singer, it had been strange hearing her belt out 'I will survive' to a guitar that was clearly playing 'Angie' and just a little endearing when they did 'Fairy tale of New York'…even if I had to avoid thinking too hard on the lyrics and even if they forgot the words half way through and just looped the chorus until they grew bored.

The more sensible guests cleared away soon after until there was only a few of us left to play drinking games.

"Never, have I ever, slept with my roommate." Called the tattoo enthusiast Tenten drawing a drink from both Sasuke and Naru. Eyebrows raised quickly as a vehement denial poured from both of them, well really just Naru. Sasuke merely muttered something about there not being enough money in all the world.

"Never, have I ever, proposed to someone." I offered on my turn bizarrely feeling embarrassed for not coming up with something dirty like everyone else. Still I was surprised when the young Uchiha drank a long hard swig…it might have been a bad question.

"Never, have I ever, stalked someone." The brunette Naru had been chasing earlier, Kankuro, put in. Nobody drank but several heads did turn the now pouting blondes way.

"Drink Naru." Commanded the Uchiha his voice edged appropriately for the seriousness of the situation. Not drinking when you had done it, was there ever a greater crime in history.

"That wasn't stalking, it was advanced courtship." Defended the blonde folding her arms in a visual display of her defiance.

"If there's a restraining order involved then it's stalking Naru." The Uchiha claimed victory and the reluctant blonde took a swig glaring at him all the while.

"Never, have I ever, been arrested." The night continued on in a gruelling fashion as despite drinking the least of everyone involved my memory, motor skills and ability to speak coherent sentences evaporated swiftly and my mind faded to black.

* * *

Part 1 of my Christmas 2-shot. Naturally as I'm Irish the only way I know of making people happy is by making them sort of sad. So witness the characters with their character defects ramped up to eleven and there luck completely down the drain.

So yeah I made Naruto sexy jutsu translate to gender confusion helped along by a Jiraiya less bitter Tsunade. Sasuke's working a dead end job and unmarried despite the fact he's proposed- more on that later. And Hinata remains something of a mystery to be revealed in the second part.

Let me know what you think. And a cookie for anyone who can tell me what book Hinata's reading.

R&R


	2. 2 of 2

Title: Anything but

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

* * *

Sometimes the signs that you had a few too many the night before can be extremely subtle, a slight wobble in your stride, a squinting of the eyes. Things barely even noticeable except to those whom truly knew you better than you knew yourself.

"Hini honey, I really need to pee so move before we cross some dangerous boundaries." A smoky voice whined as something I distinctly hoped was a finger poked my cheek. I opened my eyes and blinked painfully as the evil natural sunlight scalded my retinas. A ponytailed Naru was doing some form of bizarre dance- closest I could figure she was trying to summon the rains- as she poked me. It took me a moment too long to realise my head was resting on a toilet seat…

Sometimes the signs are not subtle.

I was soon unceremoniously shoved from the bathroom back into the living room come kitchen. I didn't even notice Sasuke moving around the small kitchenette far too focused on my current aspiration of curling up on the couch and dying. He only garnered my attention as the soft clink bottles rattled my skull.

"Don't suppose you've got some painkillers?" I asked the dark man as he swept around the room picking up empty bottles and cans. I'd considered asking him whether he had to do that right now but such a question seemed rude as a guest.

"Afraid not, house rules." Answered the busy man glaring at a freshly stained patch of carpet from the night before. After barely a moment's debate he shifted an armchair to cover the patch looking far too proud of himself for the fix. No painkillers, strange house rule.

"Dunk your head in a basin of cold water, does nothing for the pain but it clears away most of the cobwebs." He offered as he acquired the last stray bottle and lit himself a congratulatory cigarette.

"Naru's not going to like that." He smiled slightly and replaced the cigarette with his finger in a shushing gesture. Apparently the Uchiha treated the terminally hung-over like toddlers. I rolled onto my back trying to little success to find a position that didn't make me queasy as he made for the kitchen again.

"This isn't my shirt." It was sort of embarrassing but only now did I realise that the soft blue cotton shirt I was wearing was most certainly not the lilac sweater it should have been. Who changed me?

"You threw up on yours." Grunted the sombre voice from the kitchen before Sasuke returned a cloth and cleaner in one hand and a glass of what I thought was milk in his other. So much for treating me gently and sparing my feelings.

"That's good, it sort of needed something chic and daring." I joked weakly sitting up and excepting the glass hesitantly. I was unsure if I'd be able to keep the liquid down but equally desperate to parch my thirst.

Naru announced her arrival to the conversation swiping the cleaner from the Uchiha and spraying his mouth and half-finished cigarette. Something told me this wasn't all that unusual as the man shut his eyes reflexively against the spray and only sighed in mild annoyance.

"Now what if that stuff had been flammable." Questioned the brunette wiping his jaw with the back of his sleeve as the blonde hopped onto the couch with me.

"Then maybe you'd learn ya damn bastard." Returned the stripper blowing a raspberry at her roommate. I should probably be more worried about my safety all things considered.

"Hini sweetie that was so much fun. You're so coming to all my parties from now on." The blonde spieled her words jarringly quick and a little painful to my hangover.

"I ah, don't really drink that much." I offered back moving to massage my temples as inconspicuously as I possibly could, which wasn't very but the blonde didn't notice anyway too busy giggling to herself.

"Yeah, yeah, we'd gathered that alright." Something in the suggestive manner she spoke told me there was more to my story than just throwing up…what had I done?

"Whatever, Hinata if you're sticking around today you're welcome, but go brush your teeth or something." Grunted the Uchiha rising to continue his cleaning. I wanted to be offended, I really did, but as I did a small self-conscious check of my breath I realised he was entirely right with the suggestion.

"When's the bitch due?" asked Naru before Sasuke reached the door, he shrugged expression unreadable.

"The bitch?" I asked one the man was out of ear shot.

"You remember Sakura Haruno right?" That was enough for me. I remembered the pretentious wannabe girl well enough to know the title 'bitch' was rather apt. Still I probably should have asked a little more, it would have saved me some awkward surprises later.

* * *

The doorbell rang at about one o clock, or as it was on my time clock the moment where my hangover shifted from pain mode to queasy mode…it was an unpleasant life experience for me.

Still compared to the way they'd referenced her earlier both of my companions seemed awful cheery as they moved to the door the Uchiha actually wearing an easy going hopeful smile. Maybe the hangover was causing me to hallucinate.

The door cracked open and I watched the man crouch scooping up a small black and green figure in his arms as Naru made a silly face. After a moment I realised it was clearly a child the out of character Uchiha was coddling and promptly began choking on the air.

As Sasuke stepped outside to speak with his former girlfriend Naru and the little girl made their way over towards me. I ignored the voice that whispered to me to hide behind the couch as the small child's eyes widened in surprise and maybe a little fright at seeing me. I raised a hand in an awkward wave and she did the same looking confused.

"Hi." I squeaked before Naru introduced me quite cheerfully as an old friend of her own and her daddies. It seemed enough for the girl as she stepped forward boldly extending a hand to me. Definitely the Uchiha's child.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Mikoto." She greeted though her 't''s came out as 'ch''s, I took the adorable girl's hand completing the strangely formal greeting before Naru wrapped an arm around the girl scooping her up and onto her lap drawing giggles from the child.

"And how old are you Miki?" asked the blonde her tone hinting at some grand exaggerated conspiracy. And here I used to figure Naruto would make a good father…sort of right.

"Five." She answered me and not the blonde throwing up a splayed hand just in case. I gave a wow that was completely genuine. I was pretty sure Sasuke was my age, maybe a few months older but still fairly close to my own twenty two years.

She looked more like him I thought, with her dark hair, high cheek bones and aristocratic mouth but with her mother's high forehead and a nose that was distinctly her own. She acted like neither of them had in their youth but a little like the Uchiha did now I felt, and a lot like the energetic blonde always had.

In a strange thought I realised I was much more grateful I'd run into Naru yesterday rather than today in the street or something. At a glance it wouldn't be a massive jump to put the blonde as the girl's mother and if I'd stumbled upon my old crush seemingly raising a child with Sasuke…that might've been enough for a heart attack.

"She loves Mikoto like her own daughter and she's great with her!" I heard a voice dark with anger ring through the thin walls. I watched as Naru hastily became more animated, panicked in her attempts to distract to keep the little girls attention firmly on her.

"He. He Sasuke, is a degenerate weirdo and shouldn't be near our daughter." A shrill voice like breaking glass followed. Naru's expression didn't show anything or register hurt but she did turn towards me.

"Hini, could you please." I didn't need to be told more and hopped to the door. I got out just in time to catch the tail end of Sasuke saying something about a gold-digger, a whore and a fascist…I'm pretty certain they were all titles he retained for the mother of his child. Sakura hadn't aged well I noticed. Which is a strange thing to say about someone in their early twenties but she was so caked in make-up, her blonde dye-job so over the top and unless I was mistaken her breasts about as real as Naru's that she looked like some bizarre Barbie doll brought to life…the skank edition most likely.

"And who's this? She hiding a dick too or she you're drug dealer?" screeched Sakura…I'd get offended about that later but for the moment I had more important worries. For a start the Uchiha looked angry enough that I was suddenly worried he was on the verge of lashing out…which given the whole 'dick' comment and all…

"Shut up Sakura." His whispered harshly features fierce as he seemed to realise instinctively the reason I'd intruded. Not that Sakura did, she started clearly offended at the command growing higher and shriller.

"Mikoto can hear us." That snapped her back to herself. It was vaguely disturbing to see both of their expressions fall to pieces as the anger wisped from their bodies to strangle the air in the corridor. They even looked apologetic if only for a second. And then they reaffirmed their stances, dug in too deep to ever truly concede ground to the other.

"Naru's family, my only family Sakura and she's not going away just because you disagree with her life style." The dark man's voice had leeched of almost all emotion except a tired soldiers voice, carrying on a battle he couldn't remember the beginnings of.

"And so is Yamato, or he will be soon anyway." I didn't miss the way her hand flashed, the ring on her third finger catching my eye for the first time. Sasuke didn't move until she'd vanished completely down the nearby staircase, then he promptly fell against the wall releasing a long drawn out sigh and groped about his pockets for his cigarettes lighting one up the way a drowning man might take a breath of air.

"You alright?" the question seemed insufficient but I didn't really have anything else.

"I will be in a second." He answered around a puff his eyes darting to his flat's door in a way that told a lot. I waited what felt like an eternity as he finished the cigarette before I voiced the question that had been plaguing my mind.

"I don't really look like I could be a man do I?" I bit out. His brow creased for a second before he started to chuckle not even bothering to try hiding his mirth.

"Gods no." He laughed jerking his head towards the door. I laughed a little too, see ego definitely a woman…was it bad that I classed definitely a woman as a compliment these days.

As we stepped into the small apartment I noticed both Naru and Mikoto had taken up posts at the kitchen table and that several unwrapped gifts lay before them. Both managed different degrees of guilt as we stepped into the kitchenette, Mikoto quite a bit and Naru…not so much.

"Looks like I'm late to the party." Muttered the Uchiha but I could see the corners of his lips quirking up.

"Sit Hini." Ordered the blonde waving me over to one of the free seats.

"Daddy's gonna cook." Whispered the little girl conspiratorially to me as I took my seat. She squeaked as the elder Uchiha rested his hands on her shoulders shooting a grin down at her.

"Am I now angel?" He asked but still moved to the fridge for ingredients. My two table mates grinned. I didn't speak much as Sasuke prepared the meal but listened as Naru talked with Sasuke's daughter, at intervals the little girls eyes would dart towards me but they'd flash back just as quickly as if she'd never stolen the glance.

"You can ask her you know." Spoke up the blonde casting her own suspicious tone across the table to Mikoto. I offered a smile that I hoped was encouraging.

"Why are your eyes so bright?" asked the little girl her dark eyes full of curiosity. I considered explaining that I'd inherited the genetic condition from my father but the Uchiha came to my rescue with a much more amusing explanation.

"She's a fairy, she's magical." Whispered the Uchiha flashing the girl an exaggerated expression of awe as he brought the first of the food over to us. I was a little frightened by just how wide the girl's eyes got as she turned back to me…I didn't know any magic tricks, not even a card trick.

Sasuke's cooking was surprisingly good. Especially given how he'd reviewed Kakashi's restaurant. It was sort of sad that I couldn't manage any more than a half dozen bites before my stomach began sending death threats to my head.

"Is she coming with us?" asked Mikoto as she too had her fill of lunch.

"You have to ask her angel." Prompted Sasuke, she did just that turning to me with large eager eyes…which I thought was unfair of the Uchiha, how was I supposed to say no.

* * *

"So…" I spoke with all the subtle savvy of a drunk looking for a lay. Naru blinked back at me clearly not catching the oh so obvious question, she voiced as much as we shuffled a bit further up in the cue. I bit my lip and tried again for a more elaborate expression of my thoughts, I succeeded.

"So Sasuke…" I didn't say it was a massive success.

"Oh right, I guess Miki's throwing you in a bit of a tail spin." She spoke eyes sympathetic, clearly she knew a little more than I did.

"What no, why would I be…um I'm just surprised is all." I came back with elegance and sophistication enough that'd be considered inarticulate anywhere outside of middle school.

"Yeah you should have seen him when he got the news. Aw and Hini usually if a kid's no big deal then you're either 'a' delusional or 'b' a creepy maternal nut…" What kind of jump was that for the blonde to make, a casual friend having a kid was nothing to go crazy about. It would only be that kind of weird if I had feelings for…

"I do not like Sasuke." I deadpanned only for the blondes eyes to widen a fraction just over my shoulder. Wasn't it a cheap movie thing for the guy to be standing there at just the wrong time to hear something out of context, and wasn't it just my luck for that to actually happen to me.

Shit.

I turned panic stricken, a denial of my just spoken words hot on my tongue. The middle aged couple behind me appeared rather indifferent if not confused by it and I heard Naru cackling as she approached the counter.

"You're despicable." I mumbled stepping up beside the blonde to order my own drink. She grinned brightly as if I'd just dubbed her most beautiful and radiant on high.

"Aw Hini sweetie you're not hard to read, especially after a few too many drinks when you get handsy." Explained the blonde waving to the father and daughter pair as they stepped inside the shop. The elder was still shaking off snowflakes from the snow man building turned snow ball fight he'd rather unanimously lost.

"What!" I hissed decidedly unhappy as my hangover took the chance to join in making me fate's bitch today.

"Oh it wasn't that bad really, I've done worse…hell I'd do worse to blue eyes here." 'blue eyes' blushed uncomfortably easily overhearing the blonde, she didn't seem to mind so much.

"He likes you though, and that's saying something. Sasuke doesn't like people." Spoke up the blonde paying for the hot chocolate with a wink at this point I was certain was solely intended to torment our server.

"What about you and Mikoto?" I asked ignoring the disturbing butterflies spreading their wings in my stomach.

"He loves Mikoto and he adores me Hini, or hates, or tolerates, or needs to afford the rent…the point is Hini 'like' is new." Rambled the blonde finishing just before we stepped into ear shot of the table.

As I watched the dark man playing cheerfully with his daughter, clever kind and reflective despite his icy front I began to wonder if maybe I didn't like him too. And as his dark eyes found my own all too quickly I realised that it didn't really matter whether I did or not.

* * *

There's something about being back home that makes you regress, or that's what I figured anyway cause there wasn't really a much better excuse for why I was listening to whiny indie music perfect only for furthering my depression or wearing an old band t-shirt that was at least twice too big for me now.

Still I'd fallen back into that dreary fix for sad feelings and felt a wave of irritation flood me as a heavy knocking pulled me out of it. I wasn't even sure what my father possibly could want. He certainly wasn't the type for Christmas wishes, least of all when there were lonely materialistic women just waiting in seedy bars for his love ahem sorry did I say love I meant money.

I opened the door anger hidden behind my composed dutiful daughter mask and felt it all fall away at the sight of the man before me. Covered in snow and damp I realised he must have walked out here, it's not like he had a car or money to waste on a taxi.

"Sasuke what…" I began brows tightening in confusion as I fought back two frightening theories at once. The first a voice telling me this was to be the climax of some sweet romance where he confessed his feelings and embraced me swearing never to let me feel alone again. Another more grounded voice said he'd probably discovered something I'd broken back in his apartment and after I'd intruded on his day with his daughter he'd had enough and was here only to shout at me.

His brow tightened and he surprised me. He kissed me softly…then he started the shouting, inconsistent man that he was.

"We spend lunch every day together, you came to Naru's party told me you've got feelings for me, spend the night and the next day with us and then you run off barely a 'see ya'. The hell is that Hinata?" He ranted pressing into the room without any verbal invitation. All I could do was touch my lips where his had been moments ago and try to process the words he spoke.

"I said I had feelings for you…" I whispered softly too far away to feel embarrassed as my mind put things together far too slowly. He stepped back a hurt that was universal reflected in his eyes as he realised I didn't remember any of it and where he clearly questioned whether I'd meant it even in the slightest.

"You don't remember…you don't remember that I've got feelings for you then. That we both had, and then you saw Mikoto and…" there was ire in his eyes now, indignation as he put the puzzle together incorrectly. That I'd wanted him, seen his daughter and now receded, playing the fool trying to play the fool for an easy way out. I felt my own anger stir at the accusation, pulling with it the anger I'd been ignoring for months now.

"That's not fair, that's not fair at all Sasuke. I couldn't…its one thing you but that little girl too, Jesus that's horrible Sasuke." I fought back my anger dissipating in a second as his expression fell apart and I realised exactly how that sounded without context. He moved backward clearly intent on leaving. I almost broke my neck snatching up the folder on my bed and all but diving in front of him to bar the path. I pushed the folder to his chest hoping he had the patience to read it…because I couldn't leave it like this, not like this.

"Please Sasuke, just look." He did, it felt like forever as he seemed to read it over twice before letting the paper tumble from his hands as he swept forward wrapping me in an embrace.

"I came back for the clean air, it might help the therapy b-but probably not. T-they've given me s-s-six months u-unless. So you see, y-you s-see. It's n-not…" I'm not sure when my voice became too distorted for even my own ears to understand or when I just gave up and allowed Sasuke just to hold me and quietly shush my sobs. We didn't speak again for what could have been ten minutes or ten hours, time had become surreal to me wrapped in the arms of a man I wanted but could never have.

"Hinata, have you heard the expression it's better to have loved and lost?" He asked gently brushing my hair behind my ear, I blinked the tears away and laughed mirthlessly.

"Try it." I croaked back.

"I have. And trying again terrifies me Hinata, scares me as bad as any nightmare or shot up vision I've ever had." He answered and I sat up removing my head from his lap without so much as a blush as I processed just what he meant. He took my hand gently, squeezed and I braced myself for the inevitable.

"But not trying terrifies me so much more." He finished dark eyes shining with fear and hope in battle with one another.

"I understand you've got to-" I stopped speaking as my mind helpfully pointed out that what I'd heard hadn't been a rejection but something much more akin to a love declaration. My mind had help though, in the form of the wet eyed Uchiha pulling me into a trembling kiss.

* * *

Okay the second part is up, I'm thinking of adding a happy ending in an alternate 2 of 2 b. If you are interested.

Do review, tis the season of giving after all.

R&R


	3. 2 of 2 (b side)

Title: Anything but

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

The Impossible Dreamer- Um light and christmassy as my standards go.

justsomenobody- Yes, well done on getting it. Thank you for the kind words.

* * *

Sometimes the signs that you had a few too many the night before can be extremely subtle, a slight wobble in your stride, a squinting of the eyes. Things barely even noticeable except to those whom truly knew you better than you knew yourself.

"Hini honey, I really need to pee so move before we cross some dangerous boundaries." A smoky voice whined as something I distinctly hoped was a finger poked my cheek. I opened my eyes and blinked painfully as the evil natural sunlight scalded my retinas. A ponytailed Naru was doing some form of bizarre dance- closest I could figure she was trying to summon the rains- as she poked me. It took me a moment too long to realise my head was resting on a toilet seat…

Sometimes the signs are not subtle.

I was soon unceremoniously shoved from the bathroom back into the living room come kitchen. I didn't even notice Sasuke moving around the small kitchenette far too focused on my current aspiration of curling up on the couch and dying. He only garnered my attention as the soft clink bottles rattled my skull.

"Don't suppose you've got some painkillers?" I asked the dark man as he swept around the room picking up empty bottles and cans. I'd considered asking him whether he had to do that right now but such a question seemed rude as a guest.

"Afraid not, house rules." Answered the busy man glaring at a freshly stained patch of carpet from the night before. After barely a moment's debate he shifted an armchair to cover the patch looking far too proud of himself for the fix. No painkillers, strange house rule.

"Dunk your head in a basin of cold water, does nothing for the pain but it clears away most of the cobwebs." He offered as he acquired the last stray bottle and lit himself a congratulatory cigarette.

"Naru's not going to like that." He smiled slightly and replaced the cigarette with his finger in a shushing gesture. Apparently the Uchiha treated the terminally hung-over like toddlers. I rolled onto my back trying to little success to find a position that didn't make me queasy as he made for the kitchen again.

"This isn't my shirt." It was sort of embarrassing but only now did I realise that the soft blue cotton shirt I was wearing was most certainly not the lilac sweater it should have been. Who changed me?

"You threw up on yours." Grunted the sombre voice from the kitchen before Sasuke returned a cloth and cleaner in one hand and a glass of what I thought was milk in his other. So much for treating me gently and sparing my feelings.

"That's good, it sort of needed something chic and daring." I joked weakly sitting up and excepting the glass hesitantly. I was unsure if I'd be able to keep the liquid down but equally desperate to parch my thirst.

Naru announced her arrival to the conversation swiping the cleaner from the Uchiha and spraying his mouth and half-finished cigarette. Something told me this wasn't all that unusual as the man shut his eyes reflexively against the spray and only sighed in mild annoyance.

"Now what if that stuff had been flammable." Questioned the brunette wiping his jaw with the back of his sleeve as the blonde hopped onto the couch with me.

"Then maybe you'd learn ya damn bastard." Returned the stripper blowing a raspberry at her roommate. I should probably be more worried about my safety all things considered.

"Hini sweetie that was so much fun. You're so coming to all my parties from now on." The blonde spieled her words jarringly quick and a little painful to my hangover.

"I ah, don't really drink that much." I offered back moving to massage my temples as inconspicuously as I possibly could, which wasn't very but the blonde didn't notice anyway too busy giggling to herself.

"Yeah, yeah, we'd gathered that alright." Something in the suggestive manner she spoke told me there was more to my story than just throwing up…what had I done?

"Whatever, Hinata if you're sticking around today you're welcome, but go brush your teeth or something." Grunted the Uchiha rising to continue his cleaning. I wanted to be offended, I really did, but as I did a small self-conscious check of my breath I realised he was entirely right with the suggestion.

"When's the bitch due?" asked Naru before Sasuke reached the door, he shrugged expression unreadable.

"The bitch?" I asked one the man was out of ear shot.

"You remember Sakura Haruno right?" That was enough for me. I remembered the pretentious wannabe girl well enough to know the title 'bitch' was rather apt. Still I probably should have asked a little more, it would have saved me some awkward surprises later.

* * *

The doorbell rang at about one o clock, or as it was on my time clock the moment where my hangover shifted from pain mode to queasy mode…it was an unpleasant life experience for me.

Still compared to the way they'd referenced her earlier both of my companions seemed awful cheery as they moved to the door the Uchiha actually wearing an easy going hopeful smile. Maybe the hangover was causing me to hallucinate.

The door cracked open and I watched the man crouch scooping up a small black and green figure in his arms as Naru made a silly face. After a moment I realised it was clearly a child the out of character Uchiha was coddling and promptly began choking on the air.

As Sasuke stepped outside to speak with his former girlfriend Naru and the little girl made their way over towards me. I ignored the voice that whispered to me to hide behind the couch as the small child's eyes widened in surprise and maybe a little fright at seeing me. I raised a hand in an awkward wave and she did the same looking confused.

"Hi." I squeaked before Naru introduced me quite cheerfully as an old friend of her own and her daddies. It seemed enough for the girl as she stepped forward boldly extending a hand to me. Definitely the Uchiha's child.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Mikoto." She greeted though her 't''s came out as 'ch''s, I took the adorable girl's hand completing the strangely formal greeting before Naru wrapped an arm around the girl scooping her up and onto her lap drawing giggles from the child.

"And how old are you Miki?" asked the blonde her tone hinting at some grand exaggerated conspiracy. And here I used to figure Naruto would make a good father…sort of right.

"Five." She answered me and not the blonde throwing up a splayed hand just in case. I gave a wow that was completely genuine. I was pretty sure Sasuke was my age, maybe a few months older but still fairly close to my own twenty two years.

She looked more like him I thought, with her dark hair, high cheek bones and aristocratic mouth but with her mother's high forehead and a nose that was distinctly her own. She acted like neither of them had in their youth but a little like the Uchiha did now I felt, and a lot like the energetic blonde always had.

In a strange thought I realised I was much more grateful I'd run into Naru yesterday rather than today in the street or something. At a glance it wouldn't be a massive jump to put the blonde as the girl's mother and if I'd stumbled upon my old crush seemingly raising a child with Sasuke…that might've been enough for a heart attack.

"She loves Mikoto like her own daughter and she's great with her!" I heard a voice dark with anger ring through the thin walls. I watched as Naru hastily became more animated, panicked in her attempts to distract to keep the little girls attention firmly on her.

"He. He Sasuke, is a degenerate weirdo and shouldn't be near our daughter." A shrill voice like breaking glass followed. Naru's expression didn't show anything or register hurt but she did turn towards me.

"Hini, could you please." I didn't need to be told more and hopped to the door. I got out just in time to catch the tail end of Sasuke saying something about a gold-digger, a whore and a fascist…I'm pretty certain they were all titles he retained for the mother of his child. Sakura hadn't aged well I noticed. Which is a strange thing to say about someone in their early twenties but she was so caked in make-up, her blonde dye-job so over the top and unless I was mistaken her breasts about as real as Naru's that she looked like some bizarre Barbie doll brought to life…the skank edition most likely.

"And who's this? She hiding a dick too or she you're drug dealer?" screeched Sakura…I'd get offended about that later but for the moment I had more important worries. For a start the Uchiha looked angry enough that I was suddenly worried he was on the verge of lashing out…which given the whole 'dick' comment and all…

"Shut up Sakura." His whispered harshly features fierce as he seemed to realise instinctively the reason I'd intruded. Not that Sakura did, she started clearly offended at the command growing higher and shriller.

"Mikoto can hear us." That snapped her back to herself. It was vaguely disturbing to see both of their expressions fall to pieces as the anger wisped from their bodies to strangle the air in the corridor. They even looked apologetic if only for a second. And then they reaffirmed their stances, dug in too deep to ever truly concede ground to the other.

"Naru's family, my only family Sakura and she's not going away just because you disagree with her life style." The dark man's voice had leeched of almost all emotion except a tired soldiers voice, carrying on a battle he couldn't remember the beginnings of.

"And so is Yamato, or he will be soon anyway." I didn't miss the way her hand flashed, the ring on her third finger catching my eye for the first time. Sasuke didn't move until she'd vanished completely down the nearby staircase, then he promptly fell against the wall releasing a long drawn out sigh and groped about his pockets for his cigarettes lighting one up the way a drowning man might take a breath of air.

"You alright?" the question seemed insufficient but I didn't really have anything else.

"I will be in a second." He answered around a puff his eyes darting to his flat's door in a way that told a lot. I waited what felt like an eternity as he finished the cigarette before I voiced the question that had been plaguing my mind.

"I don't really look like I could be a man do I?" I bit out. His brow creased for a second before he started to chuckle not even bothering to try hiding his mirth.

"Gods no." He laughed jerking his head towards the door. I laughed a little too, see ego definitely a woman…was it bad that I classed definitely a woman as a compliment these days.

As we stepped into the small apartment I noticed both Naru and Mikoto had taken up posts at the kitchen table and that several unwrapped gifts lay before them. Both managed different degrees of guilt as we stepped into the kitchenette, Mikoto quite a bit and Naru…not so much.

"Looks like I'm late to the party." Muttered the Uchiha but I could see the corners of his lips quirking up.

"Sit Hini." Ordered the blonde waving me over to one of the free seats.

"Daddy's gonna cook." Whispered the little girl conspiratorially to me as I took my seat. She squeaked as the elder Uchiha rested his hands on her shoulders shooting a grin down at her.

"Am I now angel?" He asked but still moved to the fridge for ingredients. My two table mates grinned. I didn't speak much as Sasuke prepared the meal but listened as Naru talked with Sasuke's daughter, at intervals the little girls eyes would dart towards me but they'd flash back just as quickly as if she'd never stolen the glance.

"You can ask her you know." Spoke up the blonde casting her own suspicious tone across the table to Mikoto. I offered a smile that I hoped was encouraging.

"Why are your eyes so bright?" asked the little girl her dark eyes full of curiosity. I considered explaining that I'd inherited the genetic condition from my father but the Uchiha came to my rescue with a much more amusing explanation.

"She's a fairy, she's magical." Whispered the Uchiha flashing the girl an exaggerated expression of awe as he brought the first of the food over to us. I was a little frightened by just how wide the girl's eyes got as she turned back to me…I didn't know any magic tricks, not even a card trick.

Sasuke's cooking was surprisingly good. Especially given how he'd reviewed Kakashi's restaurant. It was sort of sad that I couldn't manage any more than a half dozen bites before my stomach began sending death threats to my head.

"Is she coming with us?" asked Mikoto as she too had her fill of lunch.

"You have to ask her angel." Prompted Sasuke, she did just that turning to me with large eager eyes…which I thought was unfair of the Uchiha, how was I supposed to say no.

* * *

"So…" I spoke with all the subtle savvy of a drunk looking for a lay. Naru blinked back at me clearly not catching the oh so obvious question, she voiced as much as we shuffled a bit further up in the cue. I bit my lip and tried again for a more elaborate expression of my thoughts, I succeeded.

"So Sasuke…" I didn't say it was a massive success.

"Oh right, I guess Miki's throwing you in a bit of a tail spin." She spoke eyes sympathetic, clearly she knew a little more than I did.

"What no, why would I be…um I'm just surprised is all." I came back with elegance and sophistication enough that'd be considered inarticulate anywhere outside of middle school.

"Yeah you should have seen him when he got the news. Aw and Hini usually if a kid's no big deal then you're either 'a' delusional or 'b' a creepy maternal nut…" What kind of jump was that for the blonde to make, a casual friend having a kid was nothing to go crazy about. It would only be that kind of weird if I had feelings for…

"I do not like Sasuke." I deadpanned only for the blondes eyes to widen a fraction just over my shoulder. Wasn't it a cheap movie thing for the guy to be standing there at just the wrong time to hear something out of context, and wasn't it just my luck for that to actually happen to me.

Shit.

I turned panic stricken, a denial of my just spoken words hot on my tongue. The middle aged couple behind me appeared rather indifferent if not confused by it and I heard Naru cackling as she approached the counter.

"You're despicable." I mumbled stepping up beside the blonde to order my own drink. She grinned brightly as if I'd just dubbed her most beautiful and radiant on high.

"Aw Hini sweetie you're not hard to read, especially after a few too many drinks when you get handsy." Explained the blonde waving to the father and daughter pair as they stepped inside the shop. The elder was still shaking off snowflakes from the snow man building turned snow ball fight he'd rather unanimously lost.

"What!" I hissed decidedly unhappy as my hangover took the chance to join in making me fate's bitch today.

"Oh it wasn't that bad really, I've done worse…hell I'd do worse to blue eyes here." 'blue eyes' blushed uncomfortably easily overhearing the blonde, she didn't seem to mind so much.

"He likes you though, and that's saying something. Sasuke doesn't like people." Spoke up the blonde paying for the hot chocolate with a wink at this point I was certain was solely intended to torment our server.

"What about you and Mikoto?" I asked ignoring the disturbing butterflies spreading their wings in my stomach.

"He loves Mikoto and he adores me Hini, or hates, or tolerates, or needs to afford the rent…the point is Hini 'like' is new." Rambled the blonde finishing just before we stepped into ear shot of the table.

As I watched the dark man playing cheerfully with his daughter, clever kind and reflective despite his icy front I began to wonder if maybe I didn't like him too. And as his dark eyes found my own all too quickly I realised that it didn't really matter whether I did or not.

* * *

There's something about being back home that makes you regress, or that's what I figured anyway cause there wasn't really a much better excuse for why I was listening to whiny indie music perfect only for furthering my depression or wearing an old band t-shirt that was at least twice too big for me now.

Still I'd fallen back into that dreary fix for sad feelings and felt a wave of irritation flood me as a heavy knocking pulled me out of it. I wasn't even sure what my father possibly could want. He certainly wasn't the type for Christmas wishes, least of all when there were lonely materialistic women just waiting in seedy bars for his love ahem sorry did I say love I meant money.

I opened the door anger hidden behind my composed dutiful daughter mask and felt it all fall away at the sight of the man before me. Covered in snow and damp I realised he must have walked out here, it's not like he had a car or money to waste on a taxi.

"Sasuke what…" I began brows tightening in confusion as I fought back two frightening theories at once. The first a voice telling me this was to be the climax of some sweet romance where he confessed his feelings and embraced me swearing never to let me feel alone again. Another more grounded voice said he'd probably discovered something I'd broken back in his apartment and after I'd intruded on his day with his daughter he'd had enough and was here only to shout at me.

His brow tightened and he surprised me. He kissed me softly…then he started the shouting, inconsistent man that he was.

"We spend lunch every day together, you came to Naru's party told me you've got feelings for me, spend the night and the next day with us and then you run off barely a 'see ya'. The hell is that Hinata?" He ranted pressing into the room without any verbal invitation. All I could do was touch my lips where his had been moments ago and try to process the words he spoke.

"I said I had feelings for you…" I whispered softly too far away to feel embarrassed as my mind put things together far too slowly. He stepped back a hurt that was universal reflected in his eyes as he realised I didn't remember any of it and where he clearly questioned whether I'd meant it even in the slightest.

"You don't remember…you don't remember that I've got feelings for you then. That we both had, and then you saw Mikoto and…" there was ire in his eyes now, indignation as he put the puzzle together incorrectly. That I'd wanted him, seen his daughter and now receded, playing the fool trying to play the fool for an easy way out. I felt my own anger stir at the accusation, pulling with it the anger I'd been ignoring for months now.

"That's not fair, that's not fair at all Sasuke. I couldn't…its one thing you but that little girl too, Jesus that's horrible Sasuke." I fought back my anger dissipating in a second as his expression fell apart and I realised exactly how that sounded without context. He moved backward clearly intent on leaving. I almost broke my neck snatching up the folder on my bed and all but diving in front of him to bar the path. I pushed the folder to his chest hoping he had the patience to read it…because I couldn't leave it like this, not like this.

"Please Sasuke, just look." He did, it felt like forever as he seemed to read it over twice before letting the paper tumble from his hands as he swept forward wrapping me in an embrace.

"I came back for the clean air, it might help the therapy b-but probably not. T-they've given me s-s-six months u-unless. So you see, y-you s-see. It's n-not…" I'm not sure when my voice became too distorted for even my own ears to understand or when I just gave up and allowed Sasuke just to hold me and quietly shush my sobs. We didn't speak again for what could have been ten minutes or ten hours, time had become surreal to me wrapped in the arms of a man I wanted but could never have.

"Hinata, have you heard the expression it's better to have loved and lost?" He asked gently brushing my hair behind my ear, I blinked the tears away and laughed mirthlessly.

"Try it." I croaked back.

"I have. And trying again terrifies me Hinata, scares me as bad as any nightmare or shot up vision I've ever had." He answered and I sat up removing my head from his lap without so much as a blush as I processed just what he meant. He took my hand gently, squeezed and I braced myself for the inevitable.

"But not trying terrifies me so much more." He finished dark eyes shining with fear and hope in battle with one another.

"I understand you've got to-" I stopped speaking as my mind helpfully pointed out that what I'd heard hadn't been a rejection but something much more akin to a love declaration. My mind had help though, in the form of the wet eyed Uchiha pulling me into a trembling kiss.

We held hands all night long. Something's tearfully as the fear threatened to overcome us and more often passionately, Sasuke held my hand so hard that it bordered on painful but all I could do was scream for him to hold it harder…and faster.

* * *

"And that sweetheart is how I met your father." I finished glancing back over towards my daughter…who had fallen asleep. Must have been the Christmas movie, that was probably what bored her.

"You probably need to edit the ending a little Hina…it's not very subtle." My husband spoke entering the room decked in a sweater I was convinced Naru must have blackmailed him into. I waved off the criticism, the ending was totally child friendly.

"How's Miki?" I asked after the man's first born, she'd been somewhat depressed of late and both of us knew why.

"Pretty good considering. The holidays just remind her of Sakura's accident." He spoke in a hushed whisper careful not to wake his younger daughter. I nodded in understanding.

"That car, well…those six cars." I murmured sympathetically.

"And the wolves, they still can't figure out where they came from." Added the Uchiha shaking his head sadly.

"And the lightning." It had been a rather eventful couple of minutes in hindsight.

"And Yamato's coincidental accident." Spoke up Sasuke reminding me that the misfortune had been still far more complex for the newlyweds.

"Exploding toilet…rocketed him right into a weather copters blades, they still show the clips from time to time." Not that I hadn't kept my own tape just in case. The dark man and I shared a smile.

"I do love the holidays."

* * *

Okay and that is the bonus happy (if slightly vindictive) ending cut. Hope you all enjoyed reading and have a merry christmas, happy new year or happy any other holiday that I'm too lazy to type out.

Do review, tis the season of giving after all.

R&R


	4. Everything Else 1

Title:

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Title; Everything Else 1

* * *

Four months before Hinata-

"Can I sing?" asked the blonde kicking her legs idly, Naru never had much of a talent for suppressing her boredom.

"If you want to scare away people, sure why not." I was offered a raspberry and another more adult gesture for the comment but paid it little heed trying a G chord. Damn thing was still out of tune.

"You saying I can't sing asshole." A mother passing with her children offered us both a glare. I'd berate the blonde but I doubted I'd keep from swearing long either.

"Why no dobe, you've a beautiful voice. You just forget the words half way through and make em up as you go…poorly." There had been the infamous slip where like a prayer had turned into like a virgin…I was not eager to repeat that in a public place.

"Well when is Ino getting here then, it's hot as balls out and I wanna ice cream." Another passing woman absent children this time offered the blonde a glare…Naru grinned and flipped her off. Suppose that was sort of fair…by some alien Naru logic.

"Soon enough." Ino actually had a pleasant singing voice, and as a bonus could remember the words to the songs. It had become our odd summer tradition when we all had a day off to meet up. Ino and I would busk until we had enough change for two coffees, or if Naru was tagging along an ice cream and two coffees. My blonde companion managed all of five seconds silent before she turned the evil eye on me.

"You gonna ask her out yet?" I choked and hit a bum note that the Uzumaki thankfully didn't notice. I eyed the wide grin and weighed exit strategies.

"Ino and I are just friends." It was the classic, the stone wall defense. It never really puts an end to the question as such but it gives you time to think of an excuse. Mikoto did like her, so that wasn't an out. She'd been Sakura's best friend once…but Naru mightn't accept that as an excuse but rather all the more reason. And she was quite pretty.

"You've had the talk right? You're just friends, you introduce mister Jack Daniels and dancing to the mix and then you'll be so much more, possibly parents." Explained the blonde, as if all of what she'd just said wasn't the ramblings of a basket case. At least there'd been nobody in hearing distance this time.

"That's…that's not the talk." Though I would have to have one later with the blonde about exactly what advice she may and may not give to my daughter in the years to come.

"Of course not, I'm paraphrasing. Now come on give me one good reason." There was a challenge to Naru's tone that as always stirred something in me.

"I guess, her and Sakura have always been…similar." And that was the crux of it, this just friends coffee and singing along to my guitar in the park…Sakura and I had been like that once before. A long time ago. Naru sobered up sharply at my explanation though.

"Ah, so…yeah." And she done something she'd almost trained herself out of, reaching up and scratching the back of her head with a troubled expression.

"Ino's not Sakura though, I mean you know Ino was always Ino but Sakura, she was just the new girl, then she was Ino, then she was some stranger to us." Griped the blonde pouting. It was true, badly explained but true, the reason Ino felt so similar now was because back when we'd begun our relationship she'd acted like Ino.

"It's not Ino that worries me, it's me Naru…you know." I'd stopped on the guitar but I hadn't let it go, if anything I'd adopted a death grip on it. A hand slipped around my back and I felt Naru rest her head on my shoulder.

"I know but Itachi's gone and you've got Mikoto now. And I've sorted by damn issues out now so it you try going back down that shit slick road I'm hauling your ass back." It was comforting in the odd way only Naru could be.

"Fuck I'll ask her to dinner or something, I promise." I felt Naru nod against my shoulder. We remained like that for a few moments ignoring the rest of the world.

"Um, am I interrupting something. Cause I think I owe Shika twenty bucks if I am." I glanced up at the voice. Ino had opted for the less is more summer wardrobe only clad in a tight denim shorts and a purple camisole, she was smirking broadly though especially as Naru half fell off the bench to climb off me.

"It's not like…hang on, you guys have a bet on us?" embarrassment turned to indignation which quickly fizzled out into a demand for two ice creams from whatever change our playing might attract.

I never did keep that promise.

* * *

One month after Hinata.

"That's, ah, that's too tight Sasuke." I whimpered a little as the Uchiha just kept pushing.

"It'd be easier if it were wet." He grumbled in return, moving to try to other side instead. There was a squeak and I whimpered again as the Uchiha tried to force the fit.

"That one's even tighter Sasuke, it hurts." He stopped and muttered a quick apology before glancing at the problem again. I had to giggle a little at the intensity of the gaze.

"Maybe I'm too fat." I offered secretly delighted as I received a disagreeable snort in response. It was Sasuke's unique way of comforting really. He was still glaring intensely at the armbands that refused to go past my elbows despite the Uchiha's attempts.

"We could let some of the air out." Offered the Uchiha moving to do just that, well he would have it I hadn't hopped backward pulling the armbands protectively to my chest and throwing out a leg threateningly. I earned a raised eyebrow for the second I managed before I lost my balance.

"I'm not going to deflate them, only take a little air out." I could actually feel how wide my eyes were as I kept the floats away from the man's air stealing clutches.

"What if I drown?" I had asked for his help at the swimming lessons, poor guy had probably thought meant something else.

"Hinata the pools only four and a half foot, there's a life guard and the swimming instructor in case anything happens. And they'll have to beat me to it because I'm going to be right there beside you okay?" offered the Uchiha gently placing his hands on my arms. I wasn't quite convinced.

"You promise?" I held out a pinky, dead serious. I'd already seen Naru pull the same thing with him once and Mikoto more often. The Uchiha took his pinky promises very seriously.

"I promise, now let's go before you're late." We laced our fingers together as we made our way to the pool. Just as we were getting in the pool though an idea struck me. I leaned into the Uchiha.

"Can we have sex after this?" I whispered with what I hoped was a less frightened and more flirty smile. Sasuke's gulp could have meant either but he nodded.

"Now I know you'll definitely save me." I whispered with a smile earning a bark of laughter from the dark man. Our instructor glared at him, Sasuke did not apologize.

* * *

Just a quick little tag on I felt like doing, updates on other stories are of course being worked on so never fear. Hope you enjoy.

R&R


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